


dark side (has cookies)

by CaptainKate (CrazyTenor42)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Angst, Baked Goods, Baker!Obi-Wan, Chubby!Anakin, Fluff, M/M, Mechanic!Anakin, Poor Obi-Wan, TW: Mention of school Shooting, Weight Gain
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-01 08:59:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10918572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazyTenor42/pseuds/CaptainKate
Summary: AU: After a tragedy, Obi-Wan abandoned his job to open a bakery. He reunites with his old student.Anakin is a terrible flirt..but suffering through a cup of tea and putting on a little extra weight is worth it to see Obi-Wan smile.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The world needs more chubby!Anakin who can't flirt.

Anakin had a splitting headache. This last week had been a whirlwind of paperwork and chaos. A distant uncle had passed, leaving Anakin his auto shop in the will. Fortunately, while under tragic situations, it was still a blessing. While he was a gifted mechanic, Anakin still found himself constantly drifting from shop to shop, trying to find a job that paid enough to help with his college bills. Even with a college degree finding such a job was difficult. Skywalker’s Auto Repair already seemed like a godsend. It was the only repair store around for fifty miles and in the bustling town around Coruscant University. It promised to be a steady business. 

Even better, being so close to the university meant Anakin immediately knew who he wanted on his staff. Ahsoka was a childhood friend who had just started her freshman year in the engineering program. Anakin offered her a rent free room in his newly found apartment in exchange for her help around the shop and she had eagerly agreed. Anakin’s high school ex-girlfriend was also rooming with them. Padme was a teacher’s assistant, finishing her last year in the law program, and had kindly offered to help Anakin with the bookkeeping.  
Padme and Ahsoka also made sure Anakin kept up his own well-being. 

“Anakin, you’ve been working all day. Take a break.”

“Padme, I have – ”

“ – you have nothing to do because you can’t reopen until I file this paperwork tomorrow. If anything comes up, Ahsoka and I can handle it. There’s a nice little coffee shop a block over, go get something to eat.”

****

So Anakin found himself standing outside of the Cosmic Café, a quaint little bakery and coffee shop that had indeed been only a brief ten minute walk from the shop. He pushed open the front door, a bell chiming softly. The auburn haired man behind the register looked up from the book he was reading. 

Anakin took three steps closer to the register and then froze. “Mr. Kenobi?”

The older man looked at him closely for a few seconds before answering. The hair was much longer, the younger man's muscles a bit more defined, and the scar running horizontally down his face was certainty new, but the face was still familiar. 

"Anakin. You are no longer my student. You can call me Obi-Wan. It’s been…what? Six years?”

“Five.” 

Anakin had not seen Obi-Wan since his high school graduation. Obi-Wan had changed. He had been Anakin’s favorite teacher, the only one who cared if he was passing or failing, willing to stay after school and tutor him, or simply talk to him and make sure he was alright. The man had also been the subject of Anakin’s high school crush…something that he had clearly not outgrown. Obi-Wan had cut his hair shorter and grown out his beard. He looked older; his eyes more weary, but that did nothing to make him less attractive. If anything, Anakin found himself being more enamored than he was during high school. 

Obi-Wan gave him a small, fond smile and Anakin felt the warmth in his stomach spread. “It is good to see you, Anakin. You’ve certainly grown.” 

“So have you. Older, I mean. Since high school, I mean. I...not that you look old..." He felt his face flush red and stopped talking, looking down at the counter. Obi-Wan had the grace to ignore his horrendous social blunder.

“What brings you to this area? Going to the university?”

“I actually graduated last year. My uncle died - I just inherited his auto shop up here.”

“I am sorry for your loss.”

Anakin shrugged. “I never really knew him.”

“Ah. Congratulations all the same. I am sure you are going to be very successful.”

“Not bad for your worst student.”

“You were far from the worst....although most students did not eat the beetles from the biology lab.”

“Hey, I only ate one!” Anakin said defensively. “And I made $50 from that bet!”

“You also earned yourself a month of detention.”

“You let me go early for tutoring the freshman.”

“Oh yes. That was far worse than any detention.”

“I’ll say. That one girl kept giggling every time she looked at me.” Anakin rolled his eyes. “I don’t know how you put up with it. But you work here now? What happened to teaching?”

Obi-Wan froze. A strange look came over his face, but was gone in seconds. “I retired," he answered, his voice shaking ever so slightly. 

Anakin quickly changed the subject. “Well now I’m close by, I’ll have to stop in more often.”

“I can promise some decent food when you do. I would offer you tea, but I'm sure you don't drink it. All these college students and their damned coffee…”

“Tea sounds wonderful,” Anakin said quickly. It was probably a poor decision. He had always been a coffee drinker, but how bad could tea really be? Besides, seeing Obi-Wan’s face brighten slightly as he started making Anakin a cup was worth any horrible taste.

Anakin paid for the tea and then took a seat by the café window. 

“Mind if I join you?”

Anakin shook his head. Obi-Wan brought over a tray of pastries. “On me. Try them and let me know how they are, I’ve been trying a few new recipes.”

They sat and talked while Anakin ate. Obi-Wan was curious about how Anakin’s college experience was and the classes he took for his degree. Anakin answered enthusiastically in between bites. He was extremely grateful for the desserts Obi-Wan had brought over because the tea was absolutely terrible. It was bitter and watery and explained perfectly why everyone on the campus was drinking coffee instead. Did all tea taste like that? He'd have to ask Padme or Ahsoka later. However, he refused to leave a half-filled cup behind and risk insulting Obi-Wan, so he alternated between taking a sip of tea and taking a few bites of pastry. When he was done forcing the tea down his throat, the plate of pastries was likewise depleted. He felt pleasantly full and far less stressed than he had been all week. 

“That was wonderful. Thank you, Obi-Wan.” He got to his feet. “I should head back to the shop. I’ll see you around.”

“I look forward to it.”


	2. Chapter 2

Once semester had started, Ahsoka and Padme spent more their time on campus while Anakin ran the shop. He made it a point to stop every morning for some awful tea and whatever pastry or breakfast creation Obi-Wan recommended. Disappointingly, the café was far too busy with students and professors in the mornings for Anakin to talk much. It did give him a way to find a more palpable way to drink his though; dumping in cream and sugar to the point he was drinking lightly tea flavored sweet cream.

Padme had taken a sip of it once day and almost gagged. “Anakin, this is just sugar and cream.”

“I don’t like tea!”

“You know, you don’t have to order it,” Ahsoka supplied helpfully.

“Obi-Wan thinks I like it. He has me try a new flavor every week.”

“Anakin, you can’t taste anything with all the cream.”

“He doesn’t know that.”

Ahsoka giggled. “At that rate, why drink it?”

“It’s the principle of it, Snips. What if he found out?”

Padme gave Ahsoka and look and then started laughing. “I want to meet this man that has you this infatuated when you’ve barely talked to him.”

“He is attractive, for an older man. Quiet, but he seems nice,” Ahsoka added. “I stop in for coffee before my calculus class.” 

“See? And hey, I did know him in high school!”

“He was your teacher. That’s not the same, Skyguy. Also, it’s a little creepy.”

“He was a great teacher,” Anakin argued. “Besides, I was 18 when I had his class.”  
***  
When they all had a day free from class, Anakin, Ahsoka, and Padme headed down to the Cosmic Café for an early breakfast before the campus crowd arrived. 

“Good morning, Anakin.”

“Morning!” 

Anakin went an awkwardly long time without saying anything until Ahsoka coughed lightly behind him. 

“Ah, right. Guys, Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan, this is Padme and Ahsoka. They help down at the shop.”

Obi-Wan smiled politely at them and reached over to shake Ahsoka’s hand. “You must be a student on campus. I’ve seen you in here before.”

“Guilty. I’m an engineering student. Coffee is essential.”

“We’ve heard so much about you and your wonderful food,” Padme said brightly, leaning over the counter to likewise shake Obi-Wan’s hand. 

Obi-Wan looked quietly pleased. “I assure you, Anakin is stretching the truth.”

“I doubt that. Anakin is a terrible liar. Remember the time he put diesel in the car and tried – ”

“ – he doesn’t need to hear about that.” Anakin turned a bit pink and turned to glare at Ahsoka before turning back around to Obi-Wan. “I’ll have tea and…what do you recommend?”

“Special of the week is caramel apple bread. It’s a new recipe I’ve been trying.”

“Do you come up with these recipes yourself?” Padme asked. 

“I…my boyfriend originally wanted to open a café. Most the recipes are his.”

Anakin looked crestfallen and went silent. Padme quickly ordered her tea and Ahsoka placed her coffee order. Anakin paid and then thankfully another customer walked in, saving him from talking to Obi-Wan any further. 

Anakin took his tea and slice of bread Obi-Wan had given him – he could swear Obi-Wan gave him a bigger piece than everyone else – and went over to where Padme was adding a very slight amount of cream and sugar to her tea. 

They headed out of the café, waving to Obi-Wan as they went. 

“See you tomorrow, Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan nodded distractedly, already ringing in someone’s order.   
***  
“He has a boyfriend,” Anakin said glumly. 

“It could be an ex?”

“He talked about him too fondly for an ex,” Padme said. 

“You and Anakin talk the same way about each other.”

“Anakin and I are exceptions.”

“It makes sense,” Anakin said, “he’s attractive, he’s got to be at least thirty-five. Why wouldn’t he have a boyfriend?”

“You could always ask him out and know for sure….”

Anakin gaped at her. “I’m not asking out a man in a relationship.”

“I’m just saying. He’s cute, clearly has his life put together, and is older than you.” She grinned. “Exactly your type.”

Anakin couldn’t argue with that. All the same, he felt a bit guilty for trying to flirt with Obi-Wan when the man had a boyfriend. 

***  
“Obi-Wan looks lonely.” 

Anakin slid out from underneath the car he was working on. 

“What?”

“That got your attention. I’ve been calling your name for five minutes.”

“I’ve been working.”

“Yeah, you might want to wipe that grease off your face before you go see Obi-Wan.”

“Who said anything about me seeing Obi-Wan?”

“He looks lonely,” Ahsoka repeated. “I walked by. All of the college kids eat lunch on campus. He looked pretty bored.”

“I guess I could take a lunch break. I haven’t stopped by in a couple of days…”

Ahsoka grinned. “Yep. Have fun. I’ll finish up here.”

Anakin washed his hands and scrubbed the grease off his face before heading down. Obi-Wan did look rather bored, slumped over the register pouring over paperwork.

“Hey!”

Obi-Wan looked up. “Anakin! I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Sorry. Life’s been crazy at the shop.”

“Here for tea?”

“Tea and lunch. Forgot to pack one today. Figured I could make this my new lunch spot.” He looked around. “Do you always work by yourself?”

“I don’t have any staff.”

“Your boyfriend doesn’t work here?”

Obi-Wan stopped breathing. “I- he – he died. Two years ago.”

“Oh. Shit, Obi-Wan, I’m sorry. When you said the other day this place was his idea…”

“It was. After Qui-Gon..when he…I opened this place in his memory.”

Anakin rested his hand over Obi-Wan’s. “I’m so sorry.”

Obi-Wan shook his head. “I was a long time ago. But yes, I work here by myself. I do all the baking in the morning and when I have no customers and do the bookkeeping at night.”

“Do you ever take a break?”

“I stop for lunch.”

“That doesn’t count when you work around food.”

Obi-Wan chucked. “Oh, I bring my own lunch. I don’t have the metabolism of you, young one.”

Anakin grinned and ran a hand down his toned stomach. “True.” 

“Speaking of which – ” Obi-Wan started to make a plate of sandwiches and desserts and brought them over to a table, “ – since you are here, did you want to join me for lunch?”

“Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my readers :D


	3. Chapter 3

The next time Anakin came into the café, Obi-Wan mentioned dropping by his auto shop. 

“The engine light came on a few days ago…I haven’t exactly had time to keep up on the maintenance.” 

“I could take it down now and take a look,” Anakin offered. He realized that most people would not be comfortable handing over their cars keys, especially to someone who was pretty much a stranger. “I won’t drive off in it, I swear. Or you can bring it down after you close.”

Obi-Wan was already pulling his keys out of his pocket, detaching his car key and handing it to Anakin, laughing softly. 

“I highly doubt you would drive off in it."

"You never know. My shop could be a front for stolen cars."

"Stealing from someone who knows your name, face, and where you work? You're illegal operation won't last long."

"I'm hurt. I could completely feign innocence. You could never prove it was me."

"Aside from the security cameras and the fingerprints on the key."

"Fine, so master criminal won't be going on my resume." 

"I should hope not. I would lose my best customer." He passed Anakin his drink and the usual bag of assorted food, waving him away at his attempts to pay for it. “You are doing me a favor."   
***  
Anakin was used to driving other people’s cars, but he still took extra caution with Obi-Wan’s, just because…well, it’s Obi-Wan’s. The car’s interior looked brand new. It doesn’t have the new car smell, and Anakin knew the car model is an older one, but it looked like the car had just been driven out of the sales lot. There was nothing inside the car. No jacket or thermos or pieces of trash or so much as loose change or extra paper. It was too impersonal for Anakin’s taste. 

He pulled it into his shop and was immediately hounded by Ahsoka’s questions.

“Is that Obi-Wan’s?”

“Yes. He wanted me to take a look at it.” 

“Did you go through the glove compartment?”

“What? No! Ahsoka, I’m not that bad.”

“You are the guy Padme broke up with for being ‘obsessively clingy’.”

“That was a long time ago,” Anakin muttered, “I’ve gotten better.” 

“You drove off in someone’s car.”

“He did give me the keys. Plus – ” Anakin took a bite of one of the donuts that were in the bag, “ – he makes great food.”  
***  
When Anakin was satisfied that everything he could possibly check or fix on Obi-Wan’s car was taken care of, he drove it to the shop. Obi-Wan was packing up the leftover food in the dessert cases.

“I’m afraid we’re closed for the day.”

Anakin dropped the car key on the counter. “Just me. The engine light is taken care of; the oxygen sensor needed to be replaced. And I replaced the wiper blades, changed the oil, rotated the tires, you needed a little more coolant and wiper fluid, replaced the air filter…just routine stuff but, I figured, might as well save you another trip.”

He had also filled up the gas tank and washed the exterior of the car. He felt mentioning that might overdo it. Obi-Wan had only asked him to check the engine light after all. 

“That's...more than I expected. Thank you. How much do I owe you?”

“Nothing.”

“Anakin, let me pay you. You can’t do all that work for free.”

“It was no problem. Besides, it’s repayment for all the free food you’ve been giving me.”

“That’s hardly the same.”

“What else are friends for?”

The look of hesitation and surprise that crossed Obi-Wan’s face said he plainly did not know what friends were for, or had no friends to speak of. With a jolt, Anakin realized he had never seen anyone but himself talk to Obi-Wan for an extended length of time. He made a mental note he would have to invite Obi-Wan out sometime after work....not that Obi-Wan had much free time at all. 

“At least take these, then.” Obi-Wan handed him a few neatly wrapped boxes. “There’s a death by chocolate cake, some pumpkin and apple donuts I’ve been trying out, and a salted caramel chocolate cake.”

Anakin mildly protested but in the end went home, his arms laden with dessert. 

The desserts were gone by the end of the week. Anakin made himself feel slightly better by telling himself he hadn't eaten all of it - Padme and Ahsoka each had a few pieces of cake while they sat together on the couch binge watching Law & Order. Of course, while they had their one piece each a night, Anakin was eating through almost half the cake. It would be a shame to waste it. Obi-Wan made amazing food. 

***  
Padme was woken up by loud swearing coming from Anakin’s room. Yawning, she got up and knocked on his door. 

“Everything okay?”

“My pants don’t fit.” He opened the door, glaring disgruntled down at the offending garments. He had his usual t-shirt on and his jeans were mostly on, except that he was tugging on them furiously, trying to get them to button. 

“Lay down on the bed and button them.”

“What?”

Padme shoved him lightly down on the bed. “There. Now try.”

It was still a slight struggle, but it worked even though the waistbands of the jeans were cutting into his slight stomach. He sat up, praying the button wasn’t going to burst. 

“I have to start working out.”

“Or stop eating three donuts for breakfast every morning.”

“That was once. Maybe twice. I don’t order them! Obi-Wan just…gives them to me.”

“You two have such a strange way of flirting."

Anakin stared at her. “What?”

“Ani, you go visit him every day and he gives you food every day. Clearly he likes you and is just as inept at flirting.”

“Giving me his number would be a lot easier on my waistline.” 

“Did you ask for his number?”

“…no.”

Padme patted his arm. “You’ll get there eventually. Just enjoy this weird food thing you have going on.”

Anakin looked down at his still mostly flat stomach. He had lost his clearly defined abs and there was a definitely a softness to his stomach and waist that had not been there before. 

“I guess it was bound to happen.”

“Maybe buy pants a few sizes up,” Padme smiled. “Some extra weight wouldn’t be such a bad look on you.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Mentions school shooting. Sorry it is such a quick chapter. The next few will be longer!

“So, fun plans for Christmas?” Anakin asked. The holiday was less than three weeks away. The campus had been emptied as all the students went home for the season. The café had been empty and the auto shop was equally as quiet. It gave Anakin plenty of time to stop in and talk to Obi-Wan for a couple of hours each day.

“I’m afraid not.”

“Nothing? You aren’t open, are you?”

Obi-Wan shrugged. “I might.”

Anakin frowned. Before his mother had died, the holidays had been one of the most important times for them. It wasn’t right for anyone to spend it alone. “Join us. Ahsoka and I…we don’t have any family and Padme’s family is in Europe. It’s just the three of us.”

“Thank you, but I don’t want to intrude.”

Nah, come on,” Anakin insisted. “We just watch Christmas movies and eat and play games and stuff. No gifts or anything.”

“Shouldn’t you check with Padme and Ahsoka before inviting a stranger over?”

“Obi-Wan, you’re hardly a stranger anymore. And they would never forgive me if they found out you were here alone on Christmas.”

Obi-Wan smiled slight and Anakin knew he won. “At least let me bring food then.”

Anakin groaned. “It's really not necessary. I’m getting fat.”

Obi-Wan didn’t even have the decency to look upset. “You look fine.”

“I had to buy new pants.” He probably should have bought new shirts too. The one he was wearing now was one of his biggest ones left and it was still starting to strain around his midsection. “And they’re getting tight. I ate almost two cakes last week.”

“You do have roommates.”

“That’s why I said almost.”

Obi-Wan laughed. Anakin looked indignantly at him. “Hey, it’s your fault.”

“I hardly thought you would eat both in a week.”

“You’re a good cook,” Anakin smiled, placing a hand on the side of his stomach. “I couldn’t resist.”

“Does that mean you will allow me to bring food over for Christmas?” 

“Yes. But when I outgrow my pants you are fully to blame.”

Obi-Wan winked at him. “I promise, I will take full responsibility for that.”

Anakin scribbled his number on a napkin and handed it to Obi-Wan. “I’ll text you the address and the time.”  
****  
Anakin and Ahsoka were both curled up on the couch watching a marathon of Christmas movies. The shop was closed, partially due to the holidays, and due to the constant blizzard they had been having. Obi-Wan had likewise shut his café down for a few days. He made sure the last day Anakin had been in; he left with an “emergency stock” of gingerbread cookies and peppermint chocolate donuts. Anakin had eaten through most of them, rubbing the side of his stomach as Ahsoka made fun of him. 

Padme suddenly came running into the apartment; shaking snow out of her hair and looking pale in a way Anakin knew couldn’t be from the cold.

“Are you okay?”

“I found out in class, I have to show you something,” she said breathlessly. 

Ahsoka clicked off the television and moved away from Anakin, letting Padme settle in between them. 

“Our class today was legal proceedings after a mass disaster and….your high school was mentioned.”

She pulled up several news articles, wordlessly hanging over the laptop to Anakin. 

“There was a – a school shooter. Fifteen students were injured and thankfully survived. But Qui-Gon...that's - he died to save Obi-Wan and the students.”

Anakin skimmed through the articles, his heart slowly breaking for Obi-Wan. Through the police reports and brief statements from students, he pieced together what happened. Obi-Wan never gave a statement to the press. He only gave his version of events at the trial and those records had been sealed. The students' stories all were similar. The students all remember locking the doors and moving away from the windows, towards the far walls. A man they had never seen before had stopped in to drop off their teacher's lunch and had been forced to stay when the lock down was called. The gunman had shot the door open, only to be held of by the other man while Obi-Wan helped them out the emergency windows. All the students had recovered. Qui-Gon was given a small memorial. Obi-Wan retired from teaching. 

“Two years ago.” Anakin said quietly. “That’s…he stopped teaching. Just…left to come here.”

Two years was a long time to spend grieving alone. Padme and Ahsoka said nothing, but both reached out and took hold of Anakin's hand, all sharing the silent sympathy for Obi-Wan. 

Anakin does not mention anything to Obi-Wan, as much as he may want to. Two days before Christmas he sends a text. “11:00. Come join us. I promise not to sing Christmas carols.”

**Author's Note:**

> A bit of a slow start but I will be updating every week. Any prompts, suggestions, or comments are always welcomed!


End file.
